The good news? You should be drinking wine every day! However, you should only be drinking five ounces of it - that's a little under two thirds of a cup (not a large wine glass, but a standard eight ounce glass). That's according to nutritionist Karen Ansel (MS, RDN), who says that moderate alcohol consumption - one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men - has been linked to improved heart health.
Ansel points to wine as being the healthiest alcoholic drink available. She says that compared with those who don't drink at all, people who drink a moderate amount of wine every day are less likely to die of Alzheimer's or heart disease.
According to Ansel, this is because wines, both red and white, contain compounds called polyphenols, which help protect the heart and brain. Ansel also makes the point that wine is often enjoyed with a meal, a healthier way to consume alcohol.
In a more general sense, Ansel says alcohol helps raise HDL cholesterol, the kind of cholesterol that's healthy for the human body and very hard to raise. Plus, she adds that alcohol is a blood thinner, and therefore helps to prevent blood clots.
-Adapted from an article in the “BUSINESS INSIDER”